The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) of Devon Council met on Tuesday 2 June 2026. The meeting was scheduled to cover updates on school monitoring, curriculum reviews, and regional and national developments in Religious Education.

Standards: Schools Monitoring and Ofsted Reports

The council was scheduled to receive an update on findings from recent Ofsted reports concerning Religious Education (RE), collective worship, and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development (SMSC) in schools. The report pack highlighted comments from Ofsted inspections between February and May 2026.

A key area of concern noted was in relation to Parkham Primary School, where inspectors identified that Leaders recognise that further work is needed to continue developing pupils' understanding of cultural diversity . The report indicated that SACRE officers had been in contact with the school to offer support.

Other schools mentioned in the Ofsted reports included:

• Witheridge Primary School: Noted for widening pupils' horizons through events like UK Parliament Week and a partnership with a school in Mumbai, deepening their understanding of different countries and cultures.
• St Sidwells Primary School: Praised for pupils understanding the importance of respecting similarities and differences, and contributing positively to their community through activities like litter-picking campaigns and participating in cultural events led by local faith leaders.
• Aveton Gifford Primary School: Described as a highly inclusive school where pupils show a secure understanding of different cultures and festivals, with a spiritual garden offering a quiet place for reflection.
• Cheriton Bishop Primary School: Highlighted for enjoying a variety of cultural experiences, including visits to different places of worship and links with schools in Birmingham and Manchester to develop pupils' understanding of different religions and cultures.
• Kentisbeare Primary School: Where pupils are taught to value all members of the school community through learning about equality and respect, and are generally well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• St Mary's Buckfast Primary School: Where the school's ethos and activities, such as meditation, support pupils' spiritual growth, and visitors from different faiths help pupils develop an informed understanding and appreciation of beliefs and cultures beyond their own.
• Wilcombe Primary School: Where pupils include their peers who may be alone at playtime, strengthening pupils' moral development and character.
• Gatehouse Primary School: Which provides a rich set of creative, artistic, and cultural experiences.
• Haywards Primary School: Where pupils learn about different religions and cultures throughout the curriculum and assemblies, demonstrating knowledge, sensitivity, and respect for others with different beliefs.
• Wynstream Primary School: Where staff and pupils celebrate and respect differences within the school community, including a range of languages spoken and different needs and barriers to learning.
• Two Moors Primary School: Where pupils show respect, tolerance, and appreciation for different beliefs and cultures and talk confidently about differences.
• Kingsacre Primary School: No specific comments relevant to SACRE monitoring were detailed in the provided report extract.
• High Bickington Primary School: Where trips to London help pupils learn about communities and cultures different from their own, supporting sophisticated discussions about ethical issues.
• Okehampton Secondary School: Where pupils gain an understanding of fundamental British values, such as mutual respect and tolerance, and learn about rights and responsibilities. However, the report noted that a minority of pupils express derogatory or prejudiced views, leaving some pupils feeling uncomfortable.
• Ilfracombe Secondary School: Where pupils have opportunities to discuss their own beliefs and develop their understanding of others' perspectives. While most pupils are respectful and tolerant, a minority express views that are derogatory or prejudiced.
• Sidmouth Secondary School: Where the personal development curriculum covers different religions and fundamental British values, though it is not yet fully integrated, meaning some pupils do not develop their understanding of important topics as well as they could.

Learn Teach Lead - Updates and Funding

An update was scheduled to be provided on the progress of the Learn, Teach, Lead RE (LTLRE) hub network. This included information on hub leaders' training sessions held in October 2025 and March 2026, with a further session planned for July 2026. The report noted that LTLRE hub groups across Devon continue to be successful, with termly meetings attracting a good number of RE teachers, held both in person and online. Spring term meetings featured a cross-phase session on oracy with Azaan Akbar and Planning for Personal Knowledge. Summer term meetings were planned to include a session with a GCSE examiner, mapping Oak Academy resources onto the KS4 curriculum, a meeting with Simran Singh from the Sikh community, and a celebration of RE. A flyer for the annual conference at St Mellion on 2 October 2026 had been released, with bookings now open.

Regional and National Developments

The council was due to receive a verbal update on the latest Regional and National Developments concerning Religious Education.

South West SACRE Conference and NASACRE Conference

Verbal feedback was scheduled to be provided from the South West SACRE Conference held on 2 March 2026 and the NASACRE Conference held on 18 May 2026.

Local Government Reorganisation Plans

An update was scheduled regarding advice given for SACRE in relation to Local Government Reorganisation plans.

Devon SACRE Membership

The council was to note any changes to the membership of Devon SACRE.

Educating Ourselves

A verbal presentation was scheduled from a representative from Group A, who would speak about the group they represent on Devon SACRE.

Curriculum and Assessment Review

A verbal update was scheduled on the Curriculum and Assessment Review.

Future SACRE Meetings

The next committee meeting was scheduled for 9 November 2026.